Split, Croatia

Split is a big city in Croatia.

It sits by the blue sea.

A long time ago, a Roman leader built a palace. People moved into the palace to stay safe. This helped the city grow.

Many people visit the city today. They come to see the old buildings. Over one million people visit each year.

The city has a big port. Boats go to many islands from there. It is a very busy place.

Split is a special place to see. It has a very long history.

Split is a large city in Croatia.

It sits on the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

The city is part of a region called Dalmatia. It is a busy place for travel and trade. More than one million people visit each year.

The city has a very long history. It began as a Greek colony named Aspálathos. Later, a Roman leader named Diocletian built a huge palace. This palace was built like a strong fort. Around the year 650, people moved into the palace. They did this to stay safe after nearby towns were lost. This helped the city grow over many years.

Today, Split is a center for learning and sea travel. It has a large university. The port is one of the busiest in the Mediterranean.

Boats use the port to reach many islands. Many people walk along the Riva. This is a famous promenade by the water.

The city is a special place where old and new lives meet.

Split is a major city in Croatia.

It sits on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.

This city is the main urban center for the region of Dalmatia. It is also the largest city on the Croatian coast.

Split serves as a key hub for culture and transport. More than one million visitors come to see it every year.

The city grew around a very old heart. This core is known as Diocletian's Palace. The city spreads from this center toward the hills and suburbs. It has a long tradition of living in the same place. This urban life has lasted for more than seventeen centuries.

Today, the city is a top place for tourists to visit. It is a lively place where history meets modern life.

Split has a history that goes back many centuries. It began as a Greek colony named Aspálathos.

This colony was founded in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE. Later, the Roman emperor Diocletian built his palace here in 305 CE. Around the year 650, the city became more prominent. People moved into the fortified palace to stay safe. They came from the nearby Roman town of Salona.

Many different groups have ruled the city over time. It was once part of the Byzantine Empire.

Later, the Republic of Venice held control for a long time. The city also belonged to the Kingdom of Croatia.

In the 1800s, it was part of the Austrian Empire.

After World War II, it was part of Yugoslavia. In 1991, Croatia became its own independent country.

Split is a busy place for many reasons today. The Port of Split is very active in the Mediterranean.

It is a gateway to the many islands in the southern Adriatic. The city is also a place for learning.

The University of Split helps make it a research center. Many people enjoy walking along the Riva.

This is a famous path by the water.

Split is the second-largest city in Croatia.

It serves as the principal urban center for the Dalmatia region. The city sits on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.

It is also the largest city located on the Croatian coast. Split acts as a vital economic and cultural hub. It is a major center for transportation in the area. The city's population is over 160,000 people. The larger metropolitan area includes about 310,000 inhabitants.

The city's urban structure is unique and very old. It developed around the historic core of Diocletian's Palace. The city extends from this center across a peninsula. It reaches toward the surrounding suburbs and the hinterland. This continuous urban tradition has lasted for over seventeen centuries. The historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This status was granted in 1979.

The history of the site began long before the palace. It was founded as a Greek colony named Aspálathos.

This colony likely formed in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE. It was a colony of the polis of Issa. The Greeks traded with local Illyrian tribes called the Delmatae. The name Aspálathos may come from the spiny broom plant. This plant is known as Calicotome spinosa in Greek. Later, the Romans called the site Spalatum.

Roman influence changed the landscape of the region significantly. The Emperor Diocletian began building his palace in 293 CE. He built it as a massive, fortified structure. It was similar to a Roman military fortress. The palace and the surrounding city held 8,000 to 10,000 people. Nearby, the city of Salona was a massive Roman capital. Salona had a population of about 60,000 people. After Salona was destroyed in 639 CE, people moved to the palace.

Split has been ruled by many different powers over the centuries. It was once a Byzantine city and a Venetian outpost.

The Republic of Venice held control for a long period. During the early modern period, Split was a heavily fortified city. It was surrounded by Ottoman territory. In 1797, the city passed to the Habsburg monarchy. Later, it was part of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It then became part of the French Empire in 1806.

The 19th and 20th centuries brought more political changes. Following the Congress of Vienna, Split became part of the Austrian Empire. It remained part of the Austrian Kingdom of Dalmatia until 1918. After that, it became part of Yugoslavia. During World War II, Italy annexed the city. It was later liberated by the Partisans in 1943. Germany then occupied the city briefly. The Partisans liberated it again in 1944.

Croatia eventually seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Today, Split is a major international destination. It attracts more than one million visitors every year.

The Port of Split is a very busy passenger port. It is one of the busiest in the Mediterranean. The port serves as a gateway to the southern Adriatic islands.

The city is also a center for education and research. The University of Split is located here.

Many people enjoy the Riva, which is the local name for the promenade.